For-Profit Colleges Grab Big Share Of GI Bill Money

It might be widely assumed that the federal dollars flowing out of Washington to educate Virginia veterans under the Post-9/11 GI Bill are mostly going to traditional public or private nonprofit colleges and universities.

That assumption would be wrong.

Nearly half of the $321 million in GI Bill benefits paid out on behalf of Virginia veterans last year went to for-profit schools.

The trend is raising alarms with some in Washington, including the bill’s principal sponsor, Virginia Sen. Jim Webb. The for-profit schools cost twice as much per veteran as public colleges, and many of them have a track record of poor student outcomes.